WHY YOU NEED IT

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Helical pilings for new construction projects provide excellent and affordable foundation solutions for both residential and commercial projects where problematic soil conditions exist or where there is limited access to the site.  Advantages of using helical pilings over other piling systems are:

 

• Fast installation

• No vibration during installation

• Can eliminate grade beams at pile cap locations

• Ease of installation in limited access areas (where cranes cannot be mobilized)

• Minimum disturbance to site

• No excavation is required

• All galvanized steel foundation

• Immediate structure installation

• All weather installation

• On-site load test capability

• 30 year transferable materials warranty    

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WHAT IS IT?

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Helical pilings are square or round shaft galvanized steel pilings that screw into the ground. They are incorporated into other foundation elements like footings, pile caps, or structural slabs and can provide load and/or uplift capacities up to 100 tons or more per pile. They are approved by national building code agencies BOCA, ICBO, SBCCI, CCMC and ICC.  The CHANCE® helical piling and tension anchor has become the deep foundation system of choice for architects, builders, contractors, engineers and geotechnical firms.

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METHODOLOGY AND INSTALLATION

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​Each helical piling is designed by our engineers to perform based on the required loads and soil conditions of your project. Helical pilings are quickly installed either with a mini-excavator or, in limited space applications, can be installed with a hand-held device. The process starts by gathering data about your existing soil and structure’s condition:

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1) TESTING AND DESIGN: For most projects the design process occurs with gathering information about your project. 

• We obtain soils information from a geotechnical engineer to define the soil conditions

• A structural engineer works with us and the geotechnical engineer to define the necessary capacity of each piling, the pile type and configuration based on the soils report and existing structural conditions

• A plan is created indicating the locations of the pilings, capacities and technical specifications (shop drawings).

• The plans are submitted to the local building department for permit or to the contractor of record. 

 

​2) IMPLEMENTATION: We mobilize to your site and review the scope of work with you. The mason excavates for his footings  Our crew follows directly behind the mason and starts installing the helical pilings. The piles are cut to the desired length and typically have a steel pile cap installed. The mason then follows directly behind our crew and places the forms and reinforcement steel.

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3) TESTING: If requested, the helical pilings can be tested for compliance of both compression and tension capacities. The engineer of record determines the needed capacities and the piles are typically tested to a safety factor of x 2. The testing is completed by Foundation Technologies (an independent consulting company) and reviewed by the engineer of record. 

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4) FINALIZATION: Installation logs are kept for each pile and reviewed by the engineer of record. The logs keep track of the total depth achieved by each pile and pressures encountered during installation. The logs are submitted to the building department along with a Certificate of Completion from the engineer to certify that our installation was in compliance with the plan.

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HOW THEY ARE USED

 

• Helical pilings – Residential and commercial building foundations, equipment stands, communication tower foundations, temporary foundations, pool shell hold-downs

• Pull-down piles – A grouted helical piling used to reduce buckling in loose soils

• Excavation walls – To allow deep excavations next to existing structures

• Tie backs – To reinforce seawalls, retaining walls and basement walls

• Slab piers – Support for structural slabs